To think Christmas is what you make it?

[cocacola1]

Now it's on it's way I keep hearing the same people moaning about Christmas, along the lines of "seeing family that you hate, same songs, Sprouts...ect"

Surely you should just spend time with family you care about and not eat sprouts!

It's what you make of it that counts

Yanbu. Totally agree. Think of your dream christmas and do that instead of the sprouts thing.

Is Christmas on its way already? I thought it was still August!

Jolly some people I know obviously hate it a lot!

Aibu to think that Christmas threads in August should be in the
Christmas topic so I can keep them firmly hidden until late November?

I love sprouts.

I fucking hate sprouts.

If farts were a vegetable, they'd be sprouts.

Yes cocoa but its the one time of year where there is huge social pressure to get together with people...and people you dont want to see but feel obliged too.

I love sprouts, I buy the big stalks of them at Christmas.

Someone said they could be roasted - I'm going to try that.

We only see people we like, only eat stuff we like, only go to places we like..

It's not so hard, if there are people we don't like, we don't care what they think about us seeing them (or not) at Christmas.

I've heard people saying this week 'only 20 weeks til Christmas'.

I don't begin to even think about it til December 1st.

why are people who say they dont like xmas drawn to xmas threads, surely you should be ignoring them

I love farts too tbf MardyBra.....

I'm going away. It's the relentless bloody build up to it I hate. It would help if people
at least stfu about it until November.

sorry sooty I adore xmas and think the build up is the fun part!
Therefore I cant shut up to please you

YABU to say Christmas is on its way - it's August fgs!
As for your other point - YANBU. I love Christmas and there are so many different ways to celebrate it (or avoid it if that's your preference) that I don't really understand why people moan about it.

There is a Christmas topic

yup - we decide what we want to do and go with that. For me, thats involved driving for 4 hours on christmas day so we get up at home, take lunch to my frail parents, eat with them and come home (last 2 years, prob this year too). This coming year, boxing day will not involve sitting at the PILs house all day, and especially ds and I being left there while everyone else goes to the pub.
We've also been on our own, had sets of parents here, and gone out for the day

It's fine if you have reasonable family members who are happy for you to do whatever suits you.
It's a nightmare when you have family who start guilt tripping you in June about where you're going, what you're doing, sulking if they're not included in this year's plans. It completely takes the enjoyment out of the whole build up and excitement.

well my ideal is to either spend it somewhere hot with just my immediate family and have a BBQ or down my allotment. Realistically neither will happen because it doesn't fit with the rest of my family and they want to spend time with their grandparents.

I don't want to cook or shop for loads of food - but to make the christmas good for my husband and kids thats what will happen.

if i did what u suggest it would spoil it for everyone else

Is this thread because I asked for suggestions for a 14 year old boy's Christmas present?

I so enjoy preparing for Christmas and I love fresh sprouts. I have one thing to say, though. I live alone and never know what I'm going to do for Christmas Day. I've spent the last few with my son but it's time my ex had a turn at that. If he goes to my son's, what shall I do? Have beans on toast? No, I don't like cooked baked beans and cold beans straight from the tin will not be the same on toast. I can't think of anyone to invite because they have their own families ......

YANBU. You are totally right. I have this arguement with my inlaws every year. They hate christmas, they only do it because they have to, its too commercial, I don't want anything, I don't know what to get anyone, the telly is rubbish. And on, and on.

Blah, blah, blah.

If you don't want to do it, dont do it. You could just see it as an opportunity to see the people you love, eat the things you like and enjoy a bit of a break. What's not to like?!

rant over

I like watching DGCs open their presents round the Christmas tree and seeing the evidence that Santa Claus has been and left footprints in the icing sugar snow.

I love cooking a large meal, bacon rolls, chipolatas, must have fresh Brussels sprouts, roast parsnips and carrots, well-roast potatoes so they are dark brown. No Christmas pudding because people cannot rise from their shairs so we'd have a mince pie or two with double cream.

A trip to the park afterwards to slide down a snowy hill on tin trays .......

Sorry, what? Christmas? Are we talking about that already?!

See now I love Xmas. I am already pretty much done with Xmas shopping and we start up Store gift cards at the beginning of the year and add bits of money on month on month so that we've got enough money saved and don't have to struggle. We've already saved enough to cover all our Food/Drink shopping for Xmas and have enough in our Xmas funds bank account for all the presents (although I've already bought for everyone except for DH and I).

I love planning early because I love Xmas shopping but hate the panic that I've GOT to buy stuff last minute. So I just go along to the late night opening for the atmosphere. Watch the local schools singing Xmas carols in the town square while drinking costa hot chocolate and picking up some last minute bits if I want to. This year I'm planning to take DD to some Xmas shopping markets, or just go with friends! Very chilled and relaxed.

Love it! It's all about advanced planning!! but then I'm freakishly organized

I don't have anyone to spend it with which is why I'm a bit grumpy about it. I'm divorced, my mother is in a care home and my sister has made it clear I'm not part of her plans. Sorry everyone. I hope all of you with families have a lovely time.